Frequently Asked Questions

			General Questions
	1.		What is a domain name? A domain name represents your web site's "address" on the Internet. For this reason, it is a good idea to select domain names (addresses) that are easy to remember and closely related the purpose of the website. This makes it easier for customers and others to locate the web site.
	2.		Why should people register domain name(s)? Having a domain name that is easy for potential visitors to remember, and that has a direct relationship to the content and purpose of your website, increases the likelihood of getting more visitors to your site. Using your trademark or other memorable feature in your internet address provides a guide for your visitors to your site. If you are planning a business and have an idea for a domain name, and you have found it to be available, you should always reserve your name. If you don't reserve your preferred name now, it is increasingly likely that someone else will, as competition for unique and valuable domain names increases.
	3.		Who can register a domain? A domain name can be registered by anyone. There are certain domain endings which are limited, for example, "edu" and "mil", which are used by educational and US military organizations respectively. Of the three primary top level domains (TLDs: "com", "net", and "org"), however, registration is open to anyone worldwide. There is ongoing discussion about additional TLDs, but decisions are not anticipated in the near future.
	4.		Don't I have to use Network Solutions to register a domain name? Not any longer... The domain name registration system is now open to other companies besides Network Solutions.
	5.		How is registering a domain through PreNic rather than Network Solutions different? In one word, PRICE! Network Solutions has historically charged $35 for a each year of registration.
	6.		How much does it cost to register a domain name at PreNic? PreNic is currently charging $19 per registration year for "New Registrations". There are no additional fees. Your names will be renewed at our usual low price of only $19 per year, per domain name.
	7.		Why do you charge so much less than your competitors? Network Solutions has lost their government-sponsored monopoly and has been forced to open up their database to other registrars. We make money from high volume of transactions based upon our very low prices.
	8.		What type of payments do you accept? Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover.
	9.		What is the difference between .com, .net, and .org domain names? The domain suffixes basically differentiate between the various types of organizations on the Internet. Generally, the following rules apply: .com -- businesses and commercial enterprises .net -- network-related organizations and enterprises .org -- charitable or non-profit organizations The domain suffix type itself has no bearing on accessibility on the Internet from a technical standpoint, but over time the .com domain type has become the most popular and recognizable.
	10.		What is the maximum length for domain name? This can be confusing because of the various ways that people count the characters. After the "www." in the domain name, you may have up to 67 characters for the rest of the name, including the extension (".com", ".net", etc.). Thus the domain name www.prenic.com has 11 characters out of the 67 permitted. You will sometimes see a reference to only 63 characters being allowed; this applies to the number of characters between the "www." and the ".com". Remember that only numbers, letters and the hyphen may be used in a domain name, and that the hyphen may not be the first or last character.
	11.		Is there any limit to how many years can be pre-paid in advance for a registration? Yes. You may register your domain name(s) for from one to ten years, at only $19 per year for each name registered. Your names will be renewed at our usual low price of only $19 per year, per domain name.
	12.		Now that I have registered my domain, what do I do next? If you want your domain to point to a web site or receive e-mail at that domain name you will have to find a hosting provider. Please see question #15 for answers to your web hosting and e-commerce needs. If just want to reserve the domain name for future use you do not have to do anything.
	13.		I registered my domain, but when I do a search, it says that my domain is available. Why? Whois updates on the Network Solutions database are usually updated once a day, but sometimes it takes two or three days. Until the database is updated, your domain will show as not being registered, however it is registered, and CAN NOT be reserved by another person. One caveat is important here. Because of the delay in the Network Solutions database being updated, occasionally someone will register a name, and before the database is updated, someone else attempts to register the same name. Because the database has not recorded the first registration, the attempt by the second person appears to go through. When the database is updated, it is the first person who will receive the domain name, not the second. This only happens rarely, but we have seen it happen with only a few minutes between registration attempts by different persons. If you are the first person, you never know about the second attempt. If you are the second, it becomes very frustrating.
	14.		I registered a domain name, but now whois says that someone else has registered it. What's going on? Because updating of the registration database is not in real-time (see preceding FAQ), it is possible for two persons to try to register the same domain name within a short time of each other, and then the registration will be awarded to the person who actually submitted the registration first. With many different registrars all updating the database, the only way to know whether you have the registration for certain is to await the database update. If you do not end up retaining the registration of a domain name, charges are refunded to you. This occurs very rarely, but does occur.
	15.		Where can I host my site? You can select from any of the thousands of hosting services available worldwide. Select one based upon the specific services which you need, and upon the fee structure for those services. Our parent company and sister site, Pagematic Inc. ( www.pagematic.com ) is a popular web hosting company. If you think our domain name registration prices are low, check out Pagematic first, for all your e-commerce web hosting needs at affordable prices!
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	Domain Management Questions

	1.		What does it cost to make changes to my domain? There are no charges for modifying your domain information.
	2.		How do I modify my domain information? You can modify your domain information by logging into the Domain Management Area, a web-based interface that allows real-time domain updates. You will need your domain name and the username and password which you selected when you registered the domain.
	3.		How can my hosting company update my domain information? You will have to establish your hosting company as a sub-user in the Domain Management Area. You will be able to assign them a password and specify which information they are permitted to modify.
	4.		How long does it take for my domain information to be updated? Updates are performed instantly (in real-time).
	5.		When I registered my domain, it didn't ask for a DNS server. Don't I need to specify DNS servers? No. When you registered, your domain name was automatically assigned to our servers. If you wish to change this at any time, you may do so via the Domain Management Area, and follow the "Manage Name Servers" link.
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